Zhangjiajie Tourist Bus

Tourist bus plays an important role in Zhangjiajie travel: with affordable fares and frequent departures, it is the preferred choice for most tourists traveling between urban transportation junctions and scenic spots. Setting off from Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station, tourist buses pass through attractions like 72 Strange Buildings and Tujia Ethnic Folk Culture Park, and ultimately reach the entrance of remote destinations including Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, and Yellow Dragon Cave; the same applies in the opposite direction. Passengers can either enter the stations to take the bus or hail one at designated stops. 

Zhangjiajie Tourist Bus

 The tourist bus mainly operates between three urban bus stations and major suburban scenic spots.
  Location: at Yongding District in the city center, about 800 meters (2,624.7 feet) north of the lower station of Tianmen Mountain Cableway, a 15-minute drive from Zhangjiajie Hehua Airport, a 20-minute drive from Zhangjiajie West Railway Station, and 5.6 kilometers (3.5 miles) from 72 Qilou.
 Recommended to: Visitors who arrive in Zhangjiajie by plane, as it is the closest transportation hub to the airport; Tourists traveling between Tianmen Mountain and Zhangjiajie Forest Park, as well as the Grand Canyon
 How to get there: city bus 17, 102, 8, 4
 Opening hours: 6:30 - 17:30
 Bus schedule

Arrive at	Operation Hours	Ticket Fare (CNY)	Duration for Single Ride
Wulingyuan Bus Station	7:00-17:30 with an interval of 5-10 min	13	50 min
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park South Gate	7:00-17:00 every 30 min; 7:25-17:00 for return	12	40 min
Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon/ Glass Bridge	7:00-17:30 every 40 min; 7:00-17:00 for return	22	1h20min
Yellow Dragon Cave/ Baofeng Lake	7:00-17:30 once 1 hour	18	1 h

Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station

  Location: on the right of the exit of Zhangjiajie West Railway Station, 7 km (4.3 mi) away from the center of Zhangjiajie city
 Suitable for: Those who head to the Forest Park and Grand Canyon scenic areas as soon as getting off the high speed train
 Opening hours: 7:30 - 18:00
 Bus timetable

Terminate at	Operation Time	Ticket Fare (CNY)	Duration for Single Ride
Wulingyuan Bus Station	7:00-17:20 about every 40 min	13	40 min
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park South Gate	7:00-16:50 with an interval of 40 min	12	30 min
Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon	7:00-16:50 about every 1 h	26	1 h

 

Waiting Hall of Distribution Center

Signature Blue Appearance of the Bus

  Location: at Wulingyuan District, 40 minutes’ drive from the city center, 990 m (3,248 ft) from the east gate of the Forest Park, 9 km (5.6 mi) from Huanglong Cave, 3 km (1.9 mi) from Baofeng Lake
 Advised to: Tourists who live in Wulingyuan and travel around with the East Gate of the Forest Park as a base
 Opening hours: 7:00 - 18:00
 Bus schedule

To	Operation Hours	Ticket Fare (CNY)	Duration for Single Ride
Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon	7:20-15:30 every 40 min	12	30 min
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park South Gate	7:10-17:30 with an interval of 30 min	8	40 min
Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station	6:50-18:00 every 20 min	13	50 min

Note: The bus timetable works in the off-season; when high season comes, the tourist bus company often prolongs the operation time. For example, the bus to Wulingyuan Bus Station from Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station is available from 5:40 am, about 1.5 hours earlier.
 Ticket windows are set at all three of the above bus stations, where you can get a paper voucher. Then queue up to check in and get on the bus. If you know Chinese well, the ticketing machine is optional.

Make sure that you have taken the correct bus based on the destination and main route marked on the front windshield of the bus, or ask the driver to confirm. The staff at Zhangjiajie West Station may urge you to get on board because it usually stops here for a short period of time.

Buy a Ticket via the Self-service Machine

Check in with Paper Voucher

 Find a tourist bus stop by the roadside in downtown or at the exit or parking lot of the scenic area, and wait to hail. 

After getting on board, ask the driver for the price and scan to pay. Alternatively, you can purchase tickets through the official WeChat mini program in advance and show the driver your ticket code when boarding. To note that the online ticketing program does not have an English interface, making it challenging for tourists who do not speak Chinese at all.

Follow the Direction Board to Find a Bus

  1. Considering transportation capacity, some routes will close their online ticket sales during peak seasons, so it is necessary to purchase tickets offline promptly.

2. Unlike trains or flights, tickets for tourist buses are not limited. They serve within operating hours, but long waiting times are unavoidable. On the contrary, during the off-season, you will find that there are few or even no people in the waiting hall of the bus station.

3. It would be better to take the bus at the stations, as drivers often do not stop at midway points with no seats left on the bus due to sharply increasing passenger volume.

4. Prolonged operation hours of the bus, often beginning with 6:30 and ending at 19:30 or even 20:00, make it possible to get a bus beyond the opening time of bus stations. So, if you reach Zhangjiajie earlier or exit the scenic area later, try to find a tourist bus at the stop outside the bus stations. Tourists who speak Chinese can call the service line at 0744-8266168 for an accurate reply.

Tourist Bus in Operation

 Most buses are equipped with independent soft seats, luggage compartments, and USB charging ports, just like airport shuttle buses. Some old 18-seat mini-buses don’t have a special place for luggage, so passengers have to place their suitcases and backpacks on the narrow aisle.

Take a Tourist Bus at the Exit of Scenic Area

Interior of the Bus

 It’s prepared for tourists who travel with their family or carry a lot of luggage and thus have difficulty going out by public transportation. Customized nine-seat mini buses pick you up at your hotel in a busy downtown area, and can also send you back from the scenic spot after sightseeing, rather than requiring you to get on or off the bus at designated stops.

The price is slightly higher than that of regular tourist buses, for example, a tourist bus from Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station to the Grand Canyon costs CNY 22, while a customized one needs CNY 30.
 Choose the nearest boarding point and departure time on the official WeChat mini program, then pay for the order. All that remains is to wait for the phone call from the driver about 10 - 15 minutes before departure for your accurate location, where he/ she will pick you up. Please ensure your phone is accessible.
 Same with that of the tourist bus: about 7:00 – 17:00 in off-season, and 6:30 – 19:30 during high season
 Passengers booking the minibus also enjoy free luggage handling. Just hand over your luggage to the driver before boarding, who will then deliver it to your hotel. Then, you are able to head straight to the scenic spots and fully immerse yourself in the beauty of Zhangjiajie without having to take care of your baggage all the time. 

Currently, this service is only available for tourists staying near the East Gate of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and the Grand Canyon.

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